The Cottonwood Tree
by TheHonoraryAmerican
Summary: Life holds many miracles, deep in the depths of the cottonwood tree.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Decided I liked the original version of The Cottonwood Tree better haha. Much more descriptive and poetic.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or any of its characters and affiliates.**

 _~  
Are you, are you  
Coming to the tree?  
Where I told you to run,  
So we'd both be free.  
Strange things did happen here  
No stranger would it be  
If we met at midnight  
In the hanging tree  
~_

It had been a beautiful fall day. A pale blue sky had covered their world, making the cold air seem even colder, yet it had held a surreal beauty to it. The serenity of the large property in rural Pennsylvania had leeched into their days, bringing them to be at more peace than they had ever been.

Years had passed since the team of the Behavioural Analysis Unit had all worked together, but those years had done nothing to shake the strong bonds of family and friendship that ran in each of the agents. And so, when Jennifer Jareau's mother, remembering the hospitality and kindness that David Rossi had extended to help her daughter get married, invited them all to stay with her in Pennsylvania over Christmas, it had been an offer that none of them could refuse.

The kids were loving the fresh air and the wide open spaces to run around in. How they could play outside late at night, being as loud as they liked without any fear of disturbing sleeping neighbours. How they could sleep in and have a fresh cooked breakfast served by Rossi and Sandy every morning. Every foot of land was theirs to roam and explore, and it had become common for the kids to disappear in the morning and return just as the sun was setting in the evening.

About two hundred yards from the house was a little grotto, separated by a little stream. It was shrouded from view of the house by the willow that grew near the very edge of the small island, and it had very quickly become a favourite sanctuary of the kids'. They had discovered on the second day that a smattering of rocks a little way around the creek allowed them to hop across and play in the grotto.

Most particularly, they loved the big cottonwood tree that grew in the centre. Sandy had told them that it had been around since before any of her children were born, and the kids all held it in great revere, that a tree could last so strong for so long.

It was peaceful, beautiful, and heavenly.

And none of them wanted it to come to an end.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm really enjoying writing this story, and I hope you are enjoying reading it!**

* * *

"More wine?"

Hastily covering Emily's glass, Derek Morgan grinned at Rossi. "None for the brunette over here, anymore and she'll end up sleeping in the creek"

Laughter filled the room as the sun cast its orange glow across the stretches of land beyond the French windows. The kids had joined them for dinner, but were now back out in the fresh air, enjoying the sunset while playing as only children could. The adults had settled in with wine, dessert, and the occasional cup of tea or coffee while conversation flowed easily between them.

"So Michael's a real firecracker, JJ," Rossi said warmly as he leaned closer to his former colleague. JJ smiled from her place leaning against Will's shoulder.

"He is. He has enough energy for the whole family sometimes," she chuckled.

"Keeps Henry on his toes," Will added, making Rossi laugh.

"JJ, I have to tell you what Alex said to me the other day," Kate chimed in, already laughing as her son's words re-entered her mind.

As JJ moved away to speak more easily with Kate, Will leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of wine as his gaze fell beyond the windows and out into the pink tinged beauty around them. He watched with a smile as the kids disappeared eagerly beneath the curtain of the willow tree, no doubt headed across the creek to the grotto. They were already in their line to hop the stones; Jack in the lead, and Henry bringing up the rear to make sure all the younger children got across safely. Alex had slipped during their first outing and ended up soaking in the creek, but thankfully, he hadn't been injured.

"They really do look out for each other don't they," Rossi cut in, breaking Will from his thoughts.

"It's admirable. I mean, Jack is almost eighteen, and he's spent all day every day out there with those young ones. They really do get along well," Will nodded in agreement. "Henry's been really good with Michael while we've been here too...I'm really proud of him"

"JJ's brother's kids are good kids too"

Will nodded. Pippa, who was twenty four, was sitting beside her mother at the other end of the table, but her three younger siblings were out playing with the other kids. Jason and his wife hadn't even been engaged when Pippa had entered their life at the tender age of just twenty, but she had been a wonderful addition to their lives. And so when Samson, Hallie, and Sophie had joined their gang twelve, fourteen, and sixteen years later respectively, they had eventually become part of the close knit BAU family as well.

"Better go see if Aaron needs rescuing," Rossi joked, nodding to where his former unit chief was trapped between JJ, Kate, and Penelope Garcia. Will laughed, getting up to follow the older man, his wine glass clutched in his hand as he cast another glance outside.

It really was very beautiful here.

* * *

"I'm going to look for frogs!" Hallie squealed, racing off into the dense trees beyond the grotto the second her little feet had hopped away from the stones of the creek.

"Wait, I'm coming too!" Sophie yelled, eagerly jumping across the creek, holding Jack's hand so she didn't slip in. Before too long, she too had disappeared into the trees.

"And they say boys are bad," Henry laughed as he joined Jack on the grotto side of the creek.

"I'll go keep an eye on them. Make sure they don't pick up anything fatal," Jack chuckled.

"Yeah, my uncle Jase would kill me if I let them go death by frog," Henry muttered, making Jack laugh as he stalked off into the trees after the girls.

Samson and Alex were already looking for potential creatures to catch in the creek just beyond the furthest reach of the willow's leaves, but Michael was standing beneath the cottonwood, looking up at it with an expression of longing.

"Can we climb it, Henry?" he asked. "Please?"

"Sure," Henry shrugged, grinning at his brother.

"You wouldn't let me yesterday!" Michael said in surprise.

"That's because you were dizzy from walking into that low hanging branch," Henry laughed. "Come on dork, let's see what we can see"

Running up to the tree with a shout of glee, Michael jumped up, his little feet easily finding a foothold as he looped his arms around the nearest branch and pulled himself up. Henry watched in awe for a moment; his little brother's agility and strength always managed to surprise him.

Shaking away his surprise, Henry grinned, joining his brother in the slow but enjoyable ascent up the branches of the cottonwood. It was remarkably easy to find footholds in the aged and twisted growth of the trunk, and before long, the two brothers were straddling one of the larger branches. The leaves of the tree sheltered them from above, but they were now sitting higher than the topmost leaf of the willow, and as such, they could no longer see Alex and Samson.

"There's Jack and the crazies," Henry laughed, pointing out the figures running through the trees near the back curve of the creek. Cries of 'put that frog down!' echoed to their ears, making both boys laugh.

"Do we have to go home Henry?" Michael asked quietly when they had been sitting silently for a few moments.

"Yeah, we do bud. But you know we're always welcome at Nana's when we can pay the airfare," Henry said reassuringly. "And we're coming back for Christmas"

"It'll be too cold to be outside then," Michael said sadly.

"Not if you're keen enough," Henry laughed. "We can climb the trees during the day. With our jackets"

"Promise?" Michael asked, lifting his face.

"Promise," Henry replied, fist bumping his little brother. The smile that spread across the seven year old's face was one that filled Henry with a warmth he couldn't describe.

The sun had almost set below the horizon, but there was no rush to go inside. Far below, Henry could hear Samson and Alex laughing as they chased something through the creek. The girls were squealing, crashing through the trees as they looked for more frogs to take back to the house. He knew they wouldn't find any with the noise they were making, but he was glad they were having fun.

"Do you think we'll get-"

But what Michael was going to ask, Henry was never going to find out, as at that exact moment, the branch they were sitting on groaned precariously beneath them.

"Henry!" Michael cried, suddenly scared and clinging to the branch for dear life. Just moments before, he'd been on top of the world. Now, he felt like he was on a catapult just waiting to be launched.

"It's ok!" Henry said quickly. "Slide back towards that opening, the one from where the branch fell last year, and I'll get around you"

Michael did as he was told, but as Henry moved towards the tree trunk, the branch gave a frightening crack.

" _Henry!_ "

"It's alright, keep going!" Henry said urgently. They were a good thirty to forty feet from the ground, and Henry knew a fall from this height would cause serious injury, especially to his little brother.

"I wanna get down!"

"You will get down, you just have to get off the branch!"

Michael finally reached the trunk, pulling himself up so he was standing and hugging the tree.

"Michael, you're gonna have to get into the little hole there so I can get past you, then we can go back down the way we came up, ok? I have to get off the branch because I'm heavier," Henry instructed.

Michael nervously eyed the hole. "I don't want to"

"Michael, just do it, or we're going to fall, come on!" Henry cried.

"How deep is it?"

"I don't know, a foot, Michael please just hurry!" Henry said, his voice shaking as he white fingers gripped the branch for dear life.

"Henry!-"

The branch groaned and Michael cried out.

" _Come on Michael!"_ Henry pleaded.

Michael finally stepped his feet up to the little ledge left by the broken branch, his fingers gripping the sides of the hole as he tried to manoeuvre himself into it.

But within seconds, the ledge began to fall away beneath his feet. He screamed, scrabbling for something to hold onto as Henry threw out a desperate attempt to grab the back of his brother's shirt. He missed by mere millimetres, and much to his horror, Henry watched as the tree swallowed his brother into the darkness below.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So for the person who said this felt familiar, if you have seen/read the thing this is based on, this chapter should tell you what it is.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

He felt like his whole world had come to a stop. His heart was threatening to pound out of his chest and he felt like he couldn't breathe. He sat there, frozen to the branch, too afraid to move.

"Henry? What's going on up there?"

Samson's voice tugged him back to his senses. Suddenly feeling immensely woozy, he scrambled across the branch to the gaping crevice in the side of the tree. Gripping the sides with white fingers, he poked his head into the hole. He expected to see Michael just a few feet below him, but all the greeted him was the musty darkness of the inside of the tree.

"Michael!" he called, his voice echoing down towards the earth. "MICHAEL!"

But his brother stayed silent. Not a sound could be heard from inside the tree.

On the verge of tears, Henry sat back, forcing himself to breathe as he got himself up. Panic racing through him, he clambered back around towards the lower branch and dropped himself down.

It was a hectic scramble to get down the tree, and when he was about ten feet from the ground, he gave up and took a flying leap from the branch.

"Henry, what happened!" Samson yelled as his cousin hit the ground and sprinted off towards the house.

Leaping over the creek, Henry nearly lost his footing when he slid on the crumbly edge, but after a wild swing of his arms and throwing all of his weight forward, he drove himself back up the grass. His feet pounded into the ground in time with the pounding of his heart in his chest.

In the dining room, Will was refilling wine glasses when he glanced up to see Henry sprinting across the grass to the house. Thinking nothing of it, he turned back to JJ, who was holding her glass out to him.

"Was that Henry?" she asked.

Will grinned. "Michael probably decided they needed something for a tree fort or something, knowing that boy"

JJ chuckled, kissing Will's cheek as he finished filling her glass, lifting it to her lips and taking a sip.

An almighty crash sounded as the door was thrown open and Henry came flying into the house, his sneakers thudding heavily against the hardwood floors.

"Mom! Dad! You gotta come quick! Michael's stuck!" he cried as he ran into the dining room. The conversation had fallen to a lull. "He's stuck in the tree!"

"Henry, calm down, it's alright. Your dad can get him down," JJ said calmly, setting her glass down on the table.

"No, you don't understand! We were in the tree...I told him to move because the branch was gonna fall...he went to stand in the hole from the other branch and it just collapsed, Mom, Michael is stuck _inside the tree!_ " Henry said desperately. "I can't even see him, he fell all the way down!"

The effect was immediate. JJ was quick to shove past both Will and Henry, heading straight for the door as her husband and son followed behind her. Sensing an emergent situation, the others rose from their seats as well, following the LaMontagnes, albeit at a much slower pace.

Henry caught up to his mother on the gentle slope down towards the creek, pulling ahead as he aimed to show them exactly what had happened to his little brother. Leaping the creek easily this time, he took a running jump at the tree, swinging himself up onto the branches as Jack and the girls came crashing out of the trees beyond.

"Henry!" JJ yelled.

But Henry continued his frantic scramble up the tree. Almost monkey-like, he found his way up to the crevice in the wood, peering inside the hole.

"He's in here!" he called back. "But I can't see him, he must've fallen all the way down!"

"The tree's hollow?" Sandy asked in astonishment, having now joined JJ and Will at the bottom of the tree.

"That's gotta be a thirty foot fall at least," JJ said weakly, suddenly gripping onto Will for support.

"I'll go get a ladder," Hotch said quickly, turning on his heel and heading back towards the shed on the far side of the house. Morgan followed to help him carry the ladder back, leaving the others standing in the grotto.

"He's not talking to me, Mom, I think he's really hurt!" Henry said tearfully, slumping against the trunk as he sank onto the branch, momentarily forgetting the initial reason for Michael's fall. He was quickly reminded by the splintering of wood and another loud groan.

"Henry _get down from there!_ " JJ called in a panicked voice, suddenly envisioning the branch falling from the tree with her firstborn on it. Henry obliged without hesitation, climbing back down carefully until his feet landed on the solid ground.

Looking at the bottom of the tree trunk, JJ swallowed back the lump in her throat as she walked up to it and stared at it hopelessly.

"Please be ok baby boy," she whispered under her breath, reaching out and placing one hand on the tree. "I need you to be ok"

"What happened?" Jack asked, turning to Will, who was now sheltering Henry underneath his arm.

"Michael fell into that hole up there... he's inside the tree," Will said shakily.

"I think we should call 911," Sandy said. "I'm going to go and call them"

Will didn't even argue. He could see Hotch and Morgan returning with the ladder, and he knew that even if the ladder was tall enough, it was going to be near impossible to get Michael out of the tree.

Leaving Henry with Rossi, who had come up to try and comfort the teenager, Will approached his wife, who was in silent tears at the base of the tree.

"What if he's trapped in there?" she sobbed quietly as Will knelt down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. "What if-"

"Don't think like that," Will said softly. "Your mom's gone to call 911. No doubt they'll send the fire brigade. If they can get an angry cat out of a tree, they can get a little boy out of the trunk"

JJ said nothing, resting against the trunk as tears escaped her.

"After everything we went through to have him...he has to be ok," she whispered, her hands looping around Will's neck as he gave her a gentle squeeze.

"It'll be ok," he murmured. "Just trust that everything will be ok"


End file.
